Cissy Houston, the acclaimed soul singer and mother of pop icon Whitney Houston, has died at the age of 91.
Houston, a two-time Grammy winner who sang backup for Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley, passed away on Monday morning, October 7, in her New Jersey home while under hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease. Her daughter-in-law, Pat Houston, confirmed the news to The Associated Press.
“Our hearts are filled with pain and sadness,” Pat Houston said in a statement. “We lost the matriarch of our family. “Mother Cissy has been a strong and towering figure in our lives. A woman of deep faith and conviction, who cared greatly about family, ministry, and community. Her more than seven-decade career in music and entertainment will remain at the forefront of our hearts.”
Houston’s contributions to popular music and culture are “unparalleled,” according to Pat Houston.
A church performer from a young age, Houston was part of a family gospel act before gaining prominence in popular music as a member of The Sweet Inspirations, a prominent backing group that included Doris Troy and her niece Dee Dee Warwick. The group sang backup for numerous soul singers, including Otis Redding, Lou Rawls, The Drifters, and Dionne Warwick.
Houston’s credits include Franklin’s “Think” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl,” and Dusty Springfield’s “Son of a Preacher Man.” The Sweet Inspirations also sang on stage with Presley.
The Sweet Inspirations had their own top 20 single with the soul-rock “Sweet Inspiration” and appeared on Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl” and The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s “Burning of the Midnight Lamp.”
Houston’s last performance with The Sweet Inspirations was in 1969 with Presley in a Las Vegas show. Her final recording session with the group resulted in their biggest R&B hit, “(Gotta Find) A Brand New Lover.”
During her time with The Sweet Inspirations, Houston also performed live concert dates with Franklin. After the group’s success and four albums together, Houston left to pursue a solo career.
Houston became an in-demand session singer and recorded more than 600 songs throughout her career
